Michael Crichton's passing...

[Spiderman]

Just read he passed away. Didn't read too many of his books, but still watch Jurassic Park when it comes up on cable

 

[rokapoke]

I highly recommend reading his books. They're quick and fascinating reads.

 

[Killer Joe]

Andromeda and Prey? Aren't those Critchton's books, too.

 

[rokapoke]

The Andromeda Strain, yes. And Prey. I also enjoyed Next, Timeline, and Airframe, in particular.

And contrary to what the movie may suggest, The Lost World is decent.

 

[Oversoul]

I read Congo and it was decent, although from what I've heard the movie is nothing like it. The movie The Andromeda Strain seemed alright too, so maybe I should read that book...

 

[Mooseman]

Timeline is a good book, the movie was OK...

 

[EricBess]

I've read quite a few of his books. Sphere is another one that I liked. They are all pretty good. The only thing I don't like is that his endings are often pretty sudden and not really that satisfying.

Jurasic Park, for example (without giving too much away) - they manage to do all sorts of things and survive and then they are just picked up by the helicopters at the end. In my opinion, it would have been more interesting if there was more involvement with the rescuers. Even so, they are worth the read. He will be missed.

 

[Mooseman]

I always thought the end of Jurasic Park I should have had them in the helocopter looking at the island and then a mushroom cloud erupts from the island..... It could have been the precursor to Godzilla:Monster Island......

Actually, I liked the movie better than the book. The creator/owner of the park in the book was an evil greedy guy, the movie incarnation was much better as a hapless idealist....

Sphere was a good book... I had forgotten about that one.

 

[BigBlue]

I really like the JP Book a lot more than the movie...

I do think the hapless Idealist is a "nicer" character... they made his character likable and then in the future made his successors like his book character...

However, when it came to the sequel... it was a joke because if follows the movie storyline rather than his book which had a very different ending. The sequel movie was ok as a movie...

I've never read any of his other books that I can recall, just JP and Lost World. I liked Dan Brown's books... I think my favorite author is William Gibson though. I've read quite a few of his books and never feel let down by them. For whatever reason they don't make it to the screen - only 1 attempt and it wasn't good (Johnny Mneumonic).

His books would make movies which would blow away the Matrix series if done properly...

 

[Mooseman]

Sorry BB, but I think the DaVinci Code was a mediocre book at best.... Bad characters and plot twists with little foreshadowing or so obvious that even I could see it coming...... Since that was my first book of his to read, I haven't gone back for more.....

The two JP sequels were not very good.... period.

 

[BigBlue]

MM - the movie sequels or the book sequels?

The movie sequels weren't so bad... maybe because I like the scenario... I'm not confusing them with greatness, but I was entertained at least.

As far as the Davinci code is concerned... again, I was entertained... I liked they writing style too... Digital Fortress was also interesting to me... w/ respect to the DC... it is a sequel and I think I got more out of it after reading Angel's & Demons... But yeah, character development doesn't seem to be his strength - or maybe he's too caught up in trying to be cryptic about it...

 

[Mooseman]

The movie sequels... I didn't read the other books.
I have had a few people recommend the A&D book... maybe some day.
I'm a little more into fantasy books right now.. Feist, Jim C. Hines, George RR Martin, and the like.

I did like most of the Crichton stuff I have read.

 

[EricBess]

BB - Interestingly enough, the one book you didn't mention is my favorite of Dan Brown's - Deception Point. I thought the DaVinci code was just fine. Angels and Demons, on the other hand, didn't really build any suspense for me. Digital Fortress was decent, but a bit odd for my taste.

I'm a fan of Robin Cook as well. Coma is the only one I know that was a feature film. A few others have been made into TV movies, but with mediochre results.

 

[Oversoul]

The only Dan Brown book I read was The Da Vinci Code. I had low expectations from the start because it was kind of hyped and was mildly impressed. Maybe not to my taste or something, but I didn't think there was anything inherently bad about the writing.

 

[DarthFerret]

Andromeda Strain, the book, was much better than the movie. I enjoyed some of his work, and am tempted to go out and get some of the others.

 

[Spiderman]

Yeah, DaVinci Code was the only book I read of Dan Brown's, just because of the hype. I thought it was all right and better than the movie adaptation.

 

[Oversoul]

Yeah, the movie adaptation was kind of lame. I only went to see it because Audrey Tautou was in it. She was good, of course, but the rest--not so much.